The Secrets Behind His Eyes
by Reianshitsu
Summary: Uploaded with permission - Nozomu gets word of Darecry's death and becomes a target while struggling to come to terms with his loss


_**The Secrets Behind His Eyes**_

_By: Rèîán§hitsü_

Characters Used: Darecry Vam-Peir, Nozomu Vam-Peir, Kusari-Tekii Shinonome, Raidne Kalevi, Drako Vam-Peir, Orimaru Shinonome

* * *

_Darecry's life was in danger. A heavy threat passed over him just the day before that Darecry knew if he didn't do something, he would be killed. After contemplating ideas for a little while, he decided in faking his death. He couldn't risk telling anyone, not even Nozomu. It should only last a couple weeks so he figured Nozomu wouldn't care much if Darecry vanished for two weeks, even if reports said he was dead. So Darecry left his castle in the silence of the night, leaving to die._

**-Day 1-**

Nozomu paced around in Darecry's castle, wondering where the brat could have wandered off to. Nozomu couldn't trace a scent in a place like that, everything having Darecry's scent firmly attached to it. Not to mention other things scents like Drako, Darecry's brother, and even Kusari.

Nozomu debated going outside but decided against it since the everlasting desert outside was not a place Nozomu wanted to get lost in, and if Darecry of all people was out there, he'd crawl back to his castle eventually.

Nozomu messed around in Darecry's castle for the rest of the day, finding things he didn't even know existed. Though, he did make sure not to go back down to the basement, even if that's where Darecry was, after what happened last time Nozomu didn't want to go through the hassle.

It had nearly been a whole day now and Nozomu still hadn't felt Darecry's presence. He was starting to get antsy. It wasn't like Darecry to stray away from him for this long, unless Darecry had a good reason and if that was the case, Darecry would've said something, right?

Nozomu didn't sleep that night, setting up on the roof staring at the sky. His mind was racing and he wasn't in the least bit tired. Usually Nozomu stayed up a few days in a row before sleeping. The only time he ever slept on purpose in consecutive nights was because that's what Darecry wanted. Kusari was the same way. Naturally her body would keep her up at least 48 hours, with an average more like 72-96 hours before she actually needed sleep.

**-Day 2-**

Nozomu was still up on the roof that morning when an unexpected visitor showed up. Nozomu silently watched the stranger enter the castle and head somewhere. Nozomu snuck back in and when the visitor approached the hallway that lead down to the basement, Nozomu caught him off guard and shoved him against the wall one hand to his throat and the other to his chest.

"Who the heck are you and why did you come here?" Nozomu shouted, snarling at the intruder.

The intruder looked at Nozomu a moment, confused and surprised. He started to talk but in another language Nozomu had only caught Darecry speak a couple times. Nozomu tightened the grip on his neck, making the stranger shut his blue eyes.

"My name Pathrusim… my-my English not very good," the visitor responded while trying to pull Nozomu's hand off his throat.

"Why are you here?" Nozomu yelled again.

"L-looking for… owner," the man replied.

"I am the owner," Nozomu sneered.

"Vam-Peir…? Darecry Vam-Peir…"

"Where is he?" Nozomu snapped.

"I don't… know," Pathrusim tried to get some air back in his lungs. "Came here… find him."

The stranger soon felt a sharp pain in his stomach as Nozomu's knee was forcefully shoved against his torso. Nozomu let go of his neck dropping Pathrusim to the floor.

"Get out," Nozomu commanded coldly.

Pathrusim slowly looked up at Nozomu, his brown hair ruffled up and his blue eyes paler then they were when he came in. "Heard… he was in trouble… life was threatened…"

Nozomu grabbed Pathrusim by the hair and slammed his head against the wall, pushing his knee against the stranger's neck holding him there.

"What's that? Darecry was threatened?" Nozomu questioned him.

"Came see him about that," Pathrusim replied.

Nozomu rared his teeth slightly, threatening Pathrusim against lying or keeping secrets from him. Pathrusim winced a bit trying to convince Nozomu he wasn't lying. After failing to Nozomu punched him in the jaw before letting go of him and commanding him again to get out. Pathrusim slowly got up to his feet and limped back toward the door, Nozomu watching him closely as he did. Pathrusim stopped after a little and looked back at Nozomu.

"Said… you owner?" Pathrusim asked a little hesitantly.

"If I have to tell you again," Nozomu threatened.

"You also threatened?" Pathrusim said, trying to convey his message, luckily for him Nozomu knew broken English because at one time he only spoke Japanese and was learning English.

Nozomu was about to reply when the lights suddenly flickered then went out. Nozomu looked up and around, eyes quickly adjusting to the change in lighting. He saw something on the ceiling that just appeared to be hanging there, like its feet were stuck to the ceiling. It looked possibly like a dragon, or a distorted lizard with demonic wings. It suddenly opened its red eyes and looked first in front of it along the ceiling. Nozomu got a bad feeling come over him that almost made him sick.

The gargoyle type creature looked down to where Nozomu was, but he was gone, along with Pathrusim. The creature seemed to growl and as the lights flickered back on the thing disappeared, when the lights flickered on it was gone and when the lights flickered off it was still there, stuck to the ceiling. The lights stopped flickering, now on again like normal, and the ceiling was completely bare.

Nozomu was outside holding Pathrusim by the back of his shirt, staring at the castle doors, muttering to himself in Japanese. Pathrusim looked up at Nozomu for a moment before speaking.

"Not… threatened? What it is?" Pathrusim asked still a little winded having seen the monster as well.

Nozomu let go of Pathrusim's shirt and kept his eyes on the door. Nozomu almost replied but shut his mouth quickly when he heard someone walk up behind them. Both men turned around quickly to see another man standing there, close to Drako's height with short metallic silver hair. He had normal brown eyes but as Nozomu looked into them, he felt there was something more to this man.

"Be not alarmed, my pet was only here to check for Vam-Peir," the man informed them with the slightest hint of a smirk. "I had to make sure he was really dead."

Nozomu's eyes widened for a split second before he glared coldly at the second stranger.

The silver haired man smirked more noticing Nozomu's anger, "Now that I know Vam-Peir is dead I will leave you two to this castle." He turned, starting to walk off.

"Who the hell are you?" Nozomu's growl underlined his words.

The man stopped and looked back, "I am no one… I'm curious who you are though, and how you wound up in Vam-Peir's castle."

Nozomu sneered, "I live there."

"As what? Family pet?"

"It's my bloody castle you arrogant son of a–"

"Your castle?" The silver-haired man turned back and walked toward Nozomu. "What's your name?"

"Nozomu Vam-Peir," Nozomu replied, raring teeth as Pathrusim looked up at Nozomu shocked at his name.

The man's smirk changed to annoyance quickly as he realized his job wasn't finished, "Well I guess you have reason to be alarmed pest, if you're related to Vam-Peir then you will die too." After that was said the man disappeared, obviously not prepared to deal with another problem.

"Vam-Peir…?" Pathrusim softly asked.

Nozomu glanced down at Pathrusim, eyes seeming to have lost their color. He almost gave off a sad feel.

"… You need to go, this doesn't concern you," Nozomu told him, all the emotion in his voice gone.

"You go where?" Pathrusim questioned, slowly getting to his feet.

"Away from here," Nozomu replied starting to walk.

"How?" Pathrusim followed. "I go with you, help."

"… You'll die," Nozomu sounded promising.

"I go with you, help," Pathrusim repeated.

**-Day 3-**

Nozomu and Pathrusim spent most the day wandering in the desert before some of the bigger of Darecry's army found them. The monsters intended to kill them but never got the chance since their activity registered to Drako who showed up and killed the monsters first.

"Drako…" Nozomu whispered after all the beasts were slain.

"What are you doing out here? And who is he?" Drako asked, throwing a glance at Pathrusim.

"Pathrusim…" Pathrusim said quietly, a little frightened of Drako.

Drako returned his gaze to Nozomu, "Have you seen Darecry? He seems to be missing…"

"He's dead," Nozomu said. "According to a lunatic who is now after me, because I'm 'related to Vam-Peir'… so are you." Nozomu sounded like he was warning Drako yet Nozomu's voice was blank and empty.

Drako's eyes read shock as he looked between Nozomu and Pathrusim a moment, Pathrusim shutting his eyes and looking down, confirming what Nozomu said. Drako shook his head a moment then walked to them and opened a portal, taking them out of the middle of the desert.

**-Day 4-**

Nozomu stared off into the distance from a window in Drako's castle as Pathrusim explained everything that had happened in his native language, something apparently Drako spoke as well. Nozomu felt his spirit leave him, if it hadn't already. He occasionally heard his name come up in the conversation but paid it no mind. Nothing seemed to matter anymore.

After Pathrusim finished explaining it all, Drako left the two alone for a bit, going to get a book he thought might help. Pathrusim walked over to Nozomu slowly, wondering what he was thinking.

"You fine?" Pathrusim asked, trying not to sound harsh or insensitive, he assumed Nozomu wasn't Darecry's brother since Drako was and seemed to be distant from Nozomu. Meaning Nozomu had to be Darecry's lover.

Nozomu looked at Pathrusim a moment then back out the window, not a word coming from his lips. His eyes were dulled over and his body was numb. The only thing Nozomu felt was an occasional nausea, other then that the shock still had a strong hold on the boy.

"Vam-Peir? ..." Pathrusim called Nozomu's name.

Nozomu didn't even turn to look at Pathrusim. After waiting a few more moments, Pathrusim walked away from Nozomu, watching him from the other side of the room. Drako soon returned and the two stayed with him for the next four days and nights.

**-Day 8-**

Nozomu hadn't said a word for three straight days now. He hadn't slept and he hadn't eaten. All he did was stare in the distance, looking—waiting for something that wasn't there.

By now, Drako thought he had it figured out who it was threatening him and Nozomu. He wanted to talk with Orimaru and he also hoped in a way that Kusari might get some emotion out of Nozomu.

Orimaru and Kusari showed up later that day, and after informing them what had happened up to this point, Drako led them to the room Pathrusim and Nozomu were in. Nozomu was still standing by the window when they opened the door. Kusari looked at Pathrusim, who immediately stood up acknowledging their presence.

Kusari walked toward Nozomu, making some remark about Nozomu's choice in hotels. Nozomu didn't seem to notice or hear her, so Kusari flat out told Nozomu he was being pathetic. This made Nozomu turn around and face Kusari, but still he said nothing.

Kusari looked at Nozomu's eyes and posture before glancing back at Drako, Orimaru, and Pathrusim, the last two of which had been watching the two half-demons. Kusari looked back at Nozomu, surprised beyond explanation. She'd never seen Nozomu this bothered by something. Nozomu had seen people die before; Nozomu had fought with his mother before she died. Darecry really meant that much? And here he was always saying how he didn't give a darn about Darecry.

Kusari insulted Nozomu a couple of times, just the normal word play they go back and forth with. Nozomu only stared at Kusari listening to what she had to say, when Kusari stopped looking like she was out of ideas, Nozomu spoke for the first time in three days.

"Is that all Kusari?"

Kusari's eyes widened almost like she'd seen a ghost, "Y-you called my name…"

Nozomu watched Kusari a moment longer then walked past the woman and past the men by the door. Nozomu wandered off away from everyone while the other four conversed a bit, then Pathrusim left to find Nozomu, hoping he could do better then Kusari though his attempts so far had failed too. Not five minutes after, the other three caught up with him deciding to find Nozomu too before he did something he'd regret.

**-Day 9-**

They had eventually found Nozomu just sitting in a dark corner sleeping. Drako told the others to leave him since he hadn't slept for three days, even though that was normal, with what Nozomu was going through, rest would be the best thing for him. Kusari decided to stay and watch Nozomu for a few hours in case he woke up. After what ended up being several hours, Pathrusim insisted Kusari take at least an hour break and he would watch Nozomu during that time.

Pathrusim watched Nozomu for two and a half hours before Raidne showed up and took over for him, claiming that Drako wanted to see him. Pathrusim went and found the other three, who were discussing how they were going to find this silver-haired man, who they believed was called Shalmaneser.

Another five hours passed quickly as night approached. The four went back to where Nozomu had fallen asleep earlier that day. Before they reached the door they heard talking, realizing Nozomu was awake. Kusari didn't want to go in because she thought if she went in there Nozomu wouldn't say anything. So they stopped on the other side of the door, silently listening to Raidne.

"I know you don't want to talk, especially to me…" Raidne paused. "But I just thought that if you needed someone to listen, you should know that I will."

The four outside peered in and Kusari's breath caught in her throat when she saw her arch-enemy, sitting on the floor across from Raidne. Nozomu's face had so much pain on it, his eyes were wet and tears were building up fighting desperately against Nozomu's mind to fall. Nozomu looked down and started to open his mouth.

"… My… my shoulder hurts…" Nozomu said shutting his eyes and leaning his head down between his bend knees, concealing his face. His shoulders moved slightly as he gasped for air. Salty tears fell on the floor under him.

Raidne scooted over beside Nozomu but kept her hands off him, knowing Nozomu didn't like being touched very much.

Nozomu tightened his hand into a fist, nails piercing his skin as drops of blood mixed with the tears on the floor. Nozomu opened his mouth as if to scream, but nothing came out.

"My shoulder burns… it's the only feeling I have left…" Nozomu spoke in a broken voice.

"Do you know… he's still got your back…?" Raidne softly said, hoping she could find some way to comfort the one person who never let anyone inside.

Nozomu lifted his head and looked up and Raidne, tears streaming down his face as he breathed through his mouth.

"He's not completely gone… he'll always be there with you, he'll always have your back, you know?" Raidne paused, hesitating, then gently putting her hand on Nozomu's shoulder. "He won't leave you… Nozomu… when I lost my dad all I had left of him was the things he taught me. You have what Darecry's taught you Nozomu… but you have more then that. He's still here, right here, with you."

Nozomu looked at Raidne for a moment then started shaking profusely before he leaned against Raidne's shoulder screaming against her jacket. Raidne bit her lip and pushed back tears from glossy eyes, wanting to be strong for Nozomu. Nozomu was always the strong one… and now he needed someone to be strong when he was shattered.

**-Day 10-**

Nozomu had gone back to sleep after spending a couple hours awake with Raidne, and the group had let him sleep until midday today. Drako woke her up and explained to her where this lunatic Shalmaneser was and how they were going to go kill him. Drako offered that Nozomu could stay there but Nozomu refused, acting like his normal arrogant self again. It was almost a relief, except for the occasional flash of something Nozomu never showed… agony.

The group left Drako's castle and appeared in a disgustingly dark swampy area. What might have once been grass was now a mossy substance. The air around them smelled horribly like decay and bile. It was near pitch black and Raidne couldn't see anything whatsoever. On occasion they heard an odd noise, like some mix between a snake's hiss and a frog's belch.

After wandering for nearly a half day, they finally heard a voice, a voice Pathrusim and Nozomu recognized. Shalmaneser stepped out of where he had been standing and looked at the group, his eyes glowing red like the gargoyles from the ceiling. He didn't have a pet monster, he was the monster. He started to monologue but was quickly interrupted when he got attacked.

**-Day 11-**

The battle waged on, not lasting very long before Shalmaneser was beheaded by Nozomu. As soon as they heard what sounded like a head plopping into a body of water, a bunch more gargoyle looking things, probably about fifty, came up out of the body of water.

One by one they each fell at someone's hands, even a couple by Raidne's gun. They were big but slow, strong but stupid and cocky. This made the creatures easy game for the group. Within the next hour the rest of the creatures were dead, beheaded each one.

After the last one fell, respectfully by Pathrusim, the group quickly left the swamp, leaving the corpses and everything else there behind. They showed back up in a field in Japan, where the wind was slightly blowing green leaves and pink cherry blossoms everywhere. They were quite a ways from civilization, up in Cape Shinyazaki where Kusari and Nozomu had lived before meeting the rulers of hell.

Nozomu started walking away from everyone else almost immediately.

"Where are you going?" Someone from the group asked, stopping Nozomu and having him turn around and look back.

Nozomu was quiet, not saying a word as he looked at everyone. Raidne looked too wondering who spoke, she didn't think it sounded like Orimaru, and it wasn't a woman.

Pathrusim walked after her to catch up to her. He stopped not far from Nozomu's side, reversing the spell on his hair and eyes. His eyes abruptly turned green as his hair changed from brown to purple and black.

"Sorry I had to—"

Nozomu punched Darecry squarely in the jaw, coming close to breaking it. Darecry's head swung to the side as his winced, shocked from the sudden hit of Nozomu's fist. Nozomu grabbed his shirt and pulled him up close, kicking his stomach twice before shoving him against the ground hard. He grabbed Darecry by the hair and slammed his head against the grass a couple of times.

Darecry coughed up some blood in addition to the blood running down his lip and the side of his head, against the ground. Nozomu let go of his hair and stood up, kicking his abdomen again, curling Darecry up a bit. Nozomu turned around a bit kicking Darecry's back before he started walking off again.

Drako slowly blinked, jaw slighted widened. Raidne's eyes were opened wide as she wondered how Nozomu was even remotely the same person who was broken not but two days ago.

Darecry whined a minute, "I'm sorry…" He said before he slowly sat up facing the way Nozomu was walking.

"Up yours!" Nozomu turned and looked at him. "I've never bloody cried before in my life! You lying piece of trash!"

"And you'll probably never cry again…" Darecry whined again.

Nozomu shouted obscenities at Darecry in Japanese before kicking his jaw pushing Darecry back down against the ground. Nozomu scowled and twisted around, sitting cross-legged with his back to Darecry. Darecry winced, sitting up again and casting his attention to Nozomu's back.

Darecry hesitated a minute then lightly touched Nozomu's shoulder which only motivated Nozomu to push his hand off twisting it around, nearly breaking it, while he pinned Darecry to the ground by putting his other arm across Darecry's neck.

"… You… look so mad…" Darecry commented.

"I bloody hell am!" Nozomu shouted down at his face.

Darecry smiled a bit, getting the point across that without him Nozomu couldn't even get mad at Kusari but with Darecry around Nozomu could easily get pissed off. Nozomu growled violently at him as he stared down at the younger man, deep into his neon green eyes.

Despite being so inherently angry, Nozomu couldn't help but consider how he felt when he was under the belief Darecry was gone. Nozomu pondered on it a moment and slowly stopped growling at him. He leaned down and passionately kissed Darecry without being very rough at all. Darecry shut his eyes and kissed back, putting his free arm up around Nozomu's neck, only deepening the kiss.

Raidne smiled a bit and looked down at herself, thinking silently. _You see, he'll always have your back…_


End file.
